Device for passing pipes or cables through an opening in a building

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a device for passing pipes or cables through an opening in a building. Said device comprises a sleeve-like housing that has an axial passage channel that is open at its opposite ends; bristles that are mounted on the walls of the passage channel in such a way that they are opposite each other and that are extended inwards in such a way that they mesh with one another in order to close the passage channel; and flexible strips of material that are mounted in the passage channel and that are coated with an intumescent material.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to, and is a continuation of,co-pending International Application No. PCT/EP2014/076168 having anInternational filing date of Dec. 2, 2014, which is incorporated hereinby reference in its entirety, and which claims priority to EuropeanPatent Application No. 13196170.8, having a filing date of Dec. 9, 2013,which is also incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

SUMMARY

The present invention relates to a device for passing pipes or cablesthrough an opening in a building, such as, for example, a break-throughin a ceiling or wall.

A cable or a pipe that is passed through walls and ceilings has to besufficiently protected to prevent the spread of a fire. On the one hand,the objective is to prevent a fire from leaping directly through theopening to an adjacent space. On the other hand, the objective is toensure that the spaces are thermally separated from each other, in orderto prevent the temperature on the side of the relevant wall or ceilingthat faces away from the fire from rising so high that that it ispossible for said wall or ceiling to auto-ignite, i.e., initiatecombustion by heat, but without a flame. Therefore, it is necessary tosatisfy specific statutory approvals with respect to the fire protectionproperties.

The objective that is to be fulfilled is that the installation of cablesor pipes should be simple and easy and should not be hampered by fireprotection measures. To date, box-shaped housings, which form a passagechannel for the lines to be installed, have been inserted into theopenings for this purpose. The housing is cast into the correspondingceiling or wall. After the pipes or cables have been passed through, theinterior of the housing is filled with a fireproof sealing compound orstuffed with mineral wool and then sealed with a fireproof sealingcompound that encloses the lines.

However, this solution for achieving fire protection has a number ofdrawbacks. The curing time of the sealing compounds is long, and themanual effort and amount of time required for installation iscomparatively high. Openings that are difficult to access are hard toclose. In addition, this solution does not lend itself to allapplications. One example of such an application would be pre-assembledair conditioning units such as those used, for example, in largerapartment buildings. The feed lines of such a unit protrude from thebase of the unit. Such a pre-assembled air conditioning unit is easy toinstall because the lines are inserted into a break-through in the baseof the unit. Then the unit is placed on said opening so that the entireunit sits on the opening in the base and partially or completely coverssaid opening. It goes without saying that, for the purpose of castingthe lines, which have been passed through, with a sealing compound, thehousing, as described above, does not lend itself to this applicationbecause the opening in the base is no longer accessible after the unithas been set up.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a devicefor passing pipes or cables through an opening in a building in such away that said device is easy to install and ensures that, on the onehand, the pipes or cables can be flexibly positioned inside the opening,but, on the other hand, said device reliably prevents a fire fromspreading and sufficiently insulates the mutually adjacent spaces, whichare connected by means of the opening, from each other against heat.

This engineering object is achieved by means of a device exhibiting thefeatures disclosed in patent claim 1.

The inventive device for passing pipes or cables through an opening in abuilding comprises a sleeve-like housing, which has an axial passagechannel that is open at its opposite ends. This housing can be cast intothe relevant ceiling or wall so that the passage channel for passingsaid pipes or cables, which are to be installed, remains free. Mountedon the walls of the passage channel are brushes that extend into thechannel and, in particular, in such a way that their bristles mesh withone another in order to close the passage channel. In addition, flexiblestrips of material are mounted in the passage channel, and theseflexible strips of material are coated with an intumescent material,i.e., a material that expands when exposed to heat and forms afireproof, rigid body.

The brushes are used as a convection barrier for the fumes from a fireand visually seal off the passage channel so that the opening in abuilding appears opaque. Upon insertion of a pipe or cable, the bristlesdeflect laterally and nestle around the pipes or cables so that thesealing effect is largely maintained. It is possible to select theflexibility or rather the stiffness of the bristles to match thispurpose. The bristles may be made of inorganic or organic fibers thatare fireproof and exhibit high stability under heat.

In the event of a fire the passage channel is closed by the intumescentmaterial that is applied to the flexible strip. In the ideal case, theintumescent material expands and completely closes the passage channel.

With respect to the selection of the base material for the strips, thereare no fundamental restrictions. It is expedient for this purpose toselect a material that has a specific degree of thermostability. Forexample, the strips may be made from a suitable woven fabric.

The inventive arrangement of the brushes and the flexible strips offersthe advantage that the free positioning of the pipes or cables insidethe opening in a building is not impeded. As a result, the installationbecomes much simpler, yet a fireproof closure is achieved in a reliablefashion. Furthermore, the brushes can act as a base for a sealingcompound, in particular, a self-levelling sealing compound such as, forexample, a self-levelling silicone sealant, which seals off the openingso that water cannot enter when waterproofing and/or gas-tightness isrequired.

The device of the invention offers the additional advantage that aspecific degree of fire protection is ensured as early as just after theshell of the building with the finished interlocking ceilings and wallshas been constructed. Then additional insulating measures, such as, forexample, a mineral wool insulation, are superfluous.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, theflexible strips of material protrude inwards from the walls of thepassage channel in a manner similar to the brushes, and, at the sametime, the strips may sag slightly downwards due to their intrinsicweight.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, thebase material of the flexible strips is a woven fabric, in particular, awoven glass fiber fabric. The glass fibers act as an internalreinforcement and reliably hold the foamed intumescent material of thecoating in the passage channel.

According to an additional preferred embodiment, the passage channel hasan approximately rectangular cross section, where in this case a brushis mounted on each of the two parallel flat walls that are opposite eachother. The rows of bristles of these brushes protrude into the passagechannel and face each other so that they mesh with each other at theirends and close the channel.

Preferably, the brushes are arranged on an upper end of the passagechannel in the installation position, while the flexible strips arearranged so as to be staggered underneath said brushes. In this case,the brushes provide for a seal that looks opaque and for a convectionbarrier at the upper end of the channel, while the flexible strips ofmaterial that are located underneath can freely protrude into thechannel.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the housingis provided with a radially outwards extending flange on at least one ofits axial ends. When the housing is installed, this flange terminatesflush with the surface of the ceiling or the wall that is adjacent tothe opening; or this flange rests on the surface of the ceiling or thewall that is adjacent to the opening so that the installation is easier.

A preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention is explainedin greater detail below with reference to the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of an embodiment of the inventivedevice for passing pipes or cables through an opening in a building.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The device 10 that is shown in FIG. 1 and that is intended for passingpipes or cables through an opening in a building comprises a sleeve-likehousing 12, which is designed more or less like a box and, as a result,has a rectangular cross section, which is much better illustrated in theplan view in FIG. 2. In the center of the housing 12 there is an axialpassage channel 14, which is open at its upper end 16 and its lower end18 and is defined by the four vertical walls 20, 22, 24, 26 of thehousing. In this embodiment and throughout the entire specification aswell as in the claims the terms “upper” and “lower” as well as the terms“horizontal” and “vertical” refer to the illustrated installationposition of the device 12 in a ceiling of a building that is notdepicted in greater detail. However, this manner of installation is notto be considered as limiting the present invention. Instead, it is alsoconceivable to incorporate a corresponding device in an opening in awall, so that the housing 12 is tilted to one side in relation to theposition, shown in FIG. 1; and the passage channel 14 runs horizontally.

At its upper end, the housing 12 has a radially outwards extendingflange 28 that completely surrounds the upper opening 16. Acorresponding radial flange 30 is also provided at the lower end of thehousing 12. In the installation position shown in FIG. 1, thecircumferential flanges 28, 30 are provided to terminate flush with thecorresponding surfaces on the top side and the bottom side of theceiling of a building, into which the device 10 is inserted. The device10 is installed by casting the housing 12 with the concrete during theconstruction of the ceiling.

Inside the housing 12 there is a vertical pipe 32, which is surroundedwith a sheath 34 made of an insulating material. This pipe 32 is shownmerely for illustrative purposes as an example of a pipe or cable thatis to be passed through the opening in the ceiling. As can be clearlyseen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pipe 32 has a much smaller cross section thanthe free opening cross section of the axial passage channel 14 so thatthe pipe 32 can be moved laterally during its installation therein.

At the upper end of the passage channel 14, there are two brushes 36, 38in the upper opening 16 of the passage channel. These two brushes aremounted on the opposite longer walls 20, 22 of the passage channel 14,and the bristles 40 of the brushes extend more or less horizontallytowards the center of the passage channel 14. The bristles 40 areflexible, and their length is dimensioned in such a way that they canmesh with each other in the center of the channel in order to close thepassage channel 14. This situation is shown next to the pipe 32 in FIG.2. In the middle of the passage channel 14 where the pipe 32 is insertedinto the channel, the bristles 40 deflect laterally, i.e., in the planeof the flange 28, and downwards and nestle, due to their flexibility,against the outer periphery of the insulating sheath 34 of the pipe 32.As a result, the two brushes 36, 38 form a kind of curtain that closesthe free cross section of the passage channel 14 in such a way that itappears opaque. In addition, said brushes form a convection barrier. Thebristles 40 may be made of any suitable material, for example, anorganic fibrous material or also an inorganic fibrous material. Thebristles 40 are provided along the respective brush 36, 38 horizontallynext to one another over the entire width of the corresponding wall 20,22.

Prior to the insertion of the pipe 32, the two brushes 36, 38, whichmesh with one another, completely close the free cross section of thepassage channel 14. If the pipe 32 passes through the upper opening 16,for example, from above, then the bristles 40 endeavor to move, in themanner described above, laterally and downwards away from each other andrelease the cross section that is only large enough for the insertion ofthe pipe 32.

Furthermore, the illustrated embodiment of the device 10 according tothe invention comprises flexible strips 42 of material that are mountedon the same walls 20, 22 of the housing on a level below the brushes 36,38. Each of the strips 42 is attached with one of its ends to one of thewalls 20, 22, while its free end protrudes into the passage channel 14.In this case the strip 42 can sag slightly downwards, but should havesufficient stiffness to ensure that the strips 42 of the opposite walls20, 22 touch each other or at least come very close to each otherapproximately in the middle of the passage channel 14. The strips 42rest laterally against the inserted pipe 32. In each case, a series ofstrips 42 extend over the entire width of the respective wall 20, 22beneath a brush 36, 38.

The strips 42 are made of a non-flammable fabric, in particular, a wovenglass fiber fabric, as a base material and are coated with anintumescent material, which expands subject to exposure to heat andforms a fireproof, rigid body. In the present case, the intumescentcoating material foams on the flexible strip 42 of woven fabric in theevent of a fire, so that the intumescent material completely seals theremaining free space between the outer periphery of the pipe 32 and thewalls 20, 22, 24, 26 of the housing 12. In this way, a fire barrier isformed that prevents a fire from leaping over and beyond the ceilinginto the respective adjoining space. Furthermore, this approach providesa thermal insulation between the spaces.

The block of foamed intumescent material, which is generated in theevent of a fire, is held in the passage channel 14 by means of the glassfiber reinforcement of the flexible strips 42 of woven fabric and isprevented from falling out of the opening. Even ash can no longer fallout through the passage channel 14.

Furthermore, the brushes 36, 38 with their bristles 40 are used as abase for a self-levelling silicone sealant that is distributed among thebrushes in the upper opening 16 at the upper end of the device 10. Thismeasure allows the passage channel 14 to be sealed off against theingress of water.

The device 10 that is depicted is easy to install and allows for a goodpositioning of the pipe or cable, which is to be passed through, insidethe passage channel 14 because the flexible bristles 40 of the brushes36, 38 and the flexible strips 42 of woven fabric conform readily to theouter surface of the pipe or cable and reliably close the remaining freeopening cross section.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device, comprising: a sleeve-like housing thathas a passage channel that is open at opposite ends; brushes that aremounted on walls of the passage channel and are disposed opposite eachother, wherein the brushes include bristles that extend inwards and thatmesh to close the passage channel; and flexible strips that are mountedin the passage channel and are coated with an intumescent material,wherein the device is suitable for passing a pipe or cable through anopening in a building, and wherein the flexible strips comprise a basematerial that comprises a non-flammable woven fabric and/or a wovenglass fiber fabric.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexiblestrips protrude inwards from the walls of the passage channel.
 3. Thedevice of claim 1, wherein the base material comprises a non-flammablewoven fabric.
 4. The device of claim 1, wherein the base materialcomprises a woven glass fiber fabric.
 5. The device of claim 1, whereinthe passage channel has an approximately rectangular cross section, andwherein the brushes are mounted on two parallel, opposite flat walls ofthe passage channel.
 6. The device of claim 1, wherein the brushes arearranged at an upper end of the passage channel in an installationposition, and wherein the flexible strips are arranged so as to bestaggered underneath the brushes.
 7. The device of claim 1, wherein thehousing is provided with a radially outwards extending flange on one orboth axial ends.
 8. The device of claim 1, wherein the device does notfurther comprise a mineral wool insulation.
 9. The device of claim 1,wherein the bristles comprise a fireproof inorganic fiber.
 10. Thedevice of claim 1, wherein the bristles comprise a fireproof organicfiber.
 11. The device of claim 5, wherein the bristles are mounted overthe entire widths of the parallel, opposite flat walls.
 12. The deviceof claim 5, wherein the flexible strips are mounted on the sameparallel, opposite flat walls to which the brushes are mounted.
 13. Thedevice of claim 1, wherein the passage channel has an approximatelyrectangular cross section, and wherein the flexible strips are mountedon two parallel, opposite flat walls of the passage channel.
 14. Thedevice of claim 13, wherein the flexible strips are mounted over theentire widths of the parallel, opposite flat walls.